The Air Jordan II was Nike’s first foray into luxury sneakers. Crafted in Italy from premium leather with faux lizard texture, Bruce Kilgore’s sleek design was a radical departure from the first Jordan. As a signifier of MJ’s rising stature and independence, the Swoosh was controversially removed from the shoe. However, MJ wasn’t the biggest fan of his sophomore sneaker. The sole unit was apparently a tad stiff and he wasn’t convinced by the nouveau styling. Despite his personal misgivings, the Air Jordan II carried Mike to a 3000-point season that still stands as the highest average points per game of any player in the modern era.